Maharashtra school molestation case: Kishore Darda arrested

(IANS) Academician and Jawaharlal Darda Education Society Secretary Kishore S. Darda, who was facing protests for allegedly protecting teachers accused of sexually abusing young students in a society-run school, was arrested early on Monday, an official said.

A police team swooped on Darda’s residence in Yavatmal around 3 a.m. and arrested him under the POCSO Act after widespread protests, in the wake of alleged sexual abuse of tiny tots studying in JDES’s Yavatmal Public School, by parents who accused school authorities of shielding the culprits and not taking action against them.

On Friday, police arrested school principal Jacob Das and earlier last week, two teachers, Yash Borundia and Amol Kshirsagar, were also arrested in connection with the same incident.

Media baron and ex-Congress MP, Vijay Darda, who is the JDES Chairman, said the two teachers have already been dismissed for their acts against the minor girls.

He added that the victims were like his own daughters and “he could understand the pain and anguish of the parents, but he had full faith that the law would take its course and the culprits would be punished”.

Since the incidents came to light, the parents have boycotted the school and said they would not send their children there until police provided adequate security to ensure the safety of the students.

The arrest on Monday followed massive protests and dharna by hundreds of parents near Kishore Darda’s home in Yavatmal which turned violent as police attempted to stop them.

Demanding Darda’s arrest, the angry parents pelted stones at his home, at the memorial of the late Jawaharlal Darda and even at the police personnel posted there.

Attempting to control the situation, police undertook a baton charge and fired teargas shells. At least 40 persons including 15 policemen were injured.

Last Thursday, the parents of a girl studying in the lower classes complained about alleged sexual abuse and molestation after which another dozen plus similar cases came to light.